‘Forgive me for having harassed you,’ said Mr. Ward, and they went on so long in silence that Mary hoped it was over, and yet he did not go away from her.  She was sorry to see the grieved, dejected expression on his good, sensible, though somewhat worn countenance; and she esteemed him highly; but who could have thought of so unlucky a fancy coming into his head?  When, at length, he spoke again, it was to say that he begged that she would forget what was past, and allow him to continue on his former footing.  Mary was glad to have something grateful to say, and answered that she should have been very sorry to lose him as a friend; whereupon his face cheered up, he thanked her, and fell back from her rein.  In spite of her past trials of the futility of the attempt to live with a rejected suitor as if nothing had happened, she had hopes of the possibility when her own heart was untouched, and the gentleman nearly doubled her years; but when she talked to her father, she gathered that it was considered by both gentlemen that the proposal had been premature, and that her final detachment from Louis was reckoned on as so certain that Mr. Ward was willing to wait, as if it were only a matter of time.  He was so wealthy and prosperous, and a connexion with him would have been so useful to the firm, that Mary was grateful to her father for forbearing to press her on what he evidently wished so earnestly.  Mr. Ward had exactly the excellent, well-balanced character, which seemed made to suit her, and she could have imagined being very happy with him, if—­No, no—­Mr. Ward could not be thought of at the same moment.

Yet, whatever she might say, no one would believe her; so she held her peace, and wrote her history of the silver mines; and Mr. Ward haunted the house, and was most kindly forbearing and patient, and Mary found at every turn, how good a man he was, and how cruel and mistaken his sister thought her.

And Christmas came, when the churches were perfect orange-groves, and the scene of the wanderers of Bethlehem was acted from house to house in the twilight.  The scanty English congregation met in the room that served as a chapel in the Consul’s house—­poor Mary alone of all her household there to keep the feast; and Mr. Ward was there, and Madison had come down from his mountain.  There were hearts at home that would rejoice to hear that.

Mary saw him afterwards, and he thanked her for her suggestion respecting the miners.  Two had been only as shy as Tom himself; they had been reading alone, and were glad to join company, a third was beginning to come, and it had led to a more friendly intercourse.  Mary sent him away, very happy with some books for them, some new Spanish reading for himself, an astronomical book, and her little celestial globe—­for the whole firmament of stars had been by no means lost on him.  That interview was her Christmas treat.  Well for her that she did not hear Robson say, ’That young man knows how to come over the ladies.  I shall keep a sharper look-out after him.  I know no harm of him, but if there’s one man I trust less than another, it is one that tries the serious dodge.’